Easy Flavorful Rigatoni Meatball Soup

4.58 from 21 votes

Easy Flavorful Rigatoni Meatball Soup

This Easy Flavorful Rigatoni Meatball Soup is tender vegan meatballs, veggies, and pasta, simmered to perfection in a warm, comforting soup perfect for the entire family!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main Course, Soup

Keyword: classic, dairy-free, dinner, easy, fall recipe, food, healthy, homemade, indulge, kid-friendly, lunch, meatballs, pasta, recipe, rigatoni, savory, slow cooker, soup, traditional, vegan, vegetarian, weeknight meals

Servings: servings

Calories: 456kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

VEGAN MEATBALLS:

1 (15oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
1 cup cooked quinoa (Cook according to packaging!)
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup vegan breadcrumbs (See Post for Homemade breadcrumb option!)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
½ cup red onion, chopped (You can also use yellow onion)
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking + 1 Tbsp!

SOUP:

4 ounces quality rigatoni, uncooked
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion, chopped (You can also use yellow onion)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped (You can use tomato on the vine, roma, or 1 cup of grape tomatoes)
4-5 cups organic vegetable stock/broth
2 Tbsps tomato paste
2 Tbsps white cooking wine (You can also use dry white wine, if preferred)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Reduce to ½ teaspoon for less spice)
1 teaspoon chili powder

TOPPING:

1-2 cups freshly-grated mozzarella cheese (You can also use shredded cheese; See Post for Notes on the type of Cheese!)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO MAKE THE VEGAN MEATBALLS:

Start by adding onions and garlic cloves to a heated skillet (with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil) and sautéing them until they are fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside skillet for later.
Add the cooked quinoa, pecans, and sautéed onions and garlic to a food processor and pulse for 1 minute or so. Add the chickpeas, nutritional yeast, olive oil, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, dried parsley, black pepper, sea salt, and bread crumbs, processing everything until it grounds into a thick mixture.
Using an ice cream scoop (or spoon), shape mixture into individual balls (further rounding them with your hands). Repeat until all meatballs are created.
Reheat previous skillet over medium-high heat (with all the bits left in it) and add additional olive oil if needed. Add meatballs to pan and sear until nicely golden on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove each meatball and set aside.

TO MAKE THE SOUP:

In a medium-sized dutch oven pot over medium high-heat, add the olive oil. Once heated, add the minced garlic, tomatoes, and chopped onions, and sauté until translucent + fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and chili powder, stirring until combined.
Add in the veggie stock, white cooking wine, vegan meatballs, and uncooked rigatoni, stirring to combine. Let simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked through and the pasta is tender.
NOTE: The soup will thicken as the pasta cooks, which is why you only need 4 ounces instead of a full pack of rigatoni.
Remove from heat and serve immediately into prepared bowl(s), top with grated mozzarella (which will melt) and with a side of bread, if desired.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, for optimal freshness. Can also be frozen for 4-6 months. To defrost, simply place soup in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature before re-heating on the stove top to serve.
SLOW COOKER OPTION: To make this soup in the slow cooker, simply sauté garlic, tomatoes, and onions before adding everything (including sautéed meatballs) into your slow cooker and cooking on a low setting for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
VEGAN MEATBALLS: If you don't want to make Homemade Vegan Meatballs, you can always use store-bought ones. Gardein has a great option!
SPICES/HERBS: If desired, you can reduce the amounts slightly. Please know that this recipe is bold in spice/herb flavor, so feel free to adjust based on your tastebuds.
VEGAN OPTION: To make this soup entirely vegan, simply top with dairy-free cheese shreds like So Delicious Dairy-Free or Violife for the best melting results.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this soup GF-friendly, simply substitute rigatoni with a gluten-free version and ensure that you use GF bread or breadcrumbs for meatballs.
EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Rigatoni Meatball Soup. Everything from my fave baking sheet, dutch ovens, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

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